Caribbean Weddings

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Bohemian

From The Bride…From the very beginning of our engagement, Colin and I knew we wanted to be married by the water. It was important to us to create a beautiful and relaxing experience for our guests traveling in from all over the country, and Lyford Cay was the perfect setting to make that happen. Colin grew up visiting his Grandparents in the Bahamas and spent most holidays at Lyford Cay Club, so it holds a special significance for his family. While we were dating, he shared the beauty and charm of Lyford Cay with me and it quickly became one of our favorite places to visit.

Knowing the grounds of the Club ahead of time was helpful when planning our wedding. The natural elements on site offered the perfect setting for our organic and bohemian wedding theme. We wanted tropical flowers and décor that looked as if it could have been found on the property. Omar from Wild Seed Designs helped bring that vision to life. We used King Proteas as the focal point for flowers and accented them with air plants & succulents. The arbor for the ceremony was draped beautifully with tons of loosely gathered flowers. Everything felt light and airy just as we hoped it would.

Even more wonderful than the beautiful decor, was the party itself. It meant everything to us to have 120 guests spend the weekend with us celebrating. We wanted to make each day feel relaxing and end each evening with a lively party. We had local bands play every night and the traditional Bahamian Junkanoo surprised our guests half way through the reception. The night was hot and sweaty and exactly as you would picture a late June Caribbean reception.

It’s hard for me to choose a favorite moment of the weekend, as it was all so wonderful. One very special moment was when the bridal party flowers were delivered to my suite before leaving for our first look. There was an extra boutonnière that Colin had requested to have made for my older brother, Kyle, who passed away 6 years ago. I pinned it to the inside of my bouquet. This meant so much to me. It added to the excitement and emotion before seeing Colin.

Our ceremony was another favorite part of the wedding weekend. We spent months writing it with the help of our officiant, Suzanne. It was truly a test as we had to agree on what parts felt authentic to us as a couple. We took it very seriously and constructed it together from start to finish. We decided to make 10 promises to ourselves and share them for the first time at the ceremony. At one point, I was so moved by one of Colin’s promises that I leaned in and kissed him before I was supposed to! It made for a good laugh and a great moment captured. The ceremony felt joyful and true to who we are as a couple. Our hope is that all our guests felt connected and surrounded by love that day.

Romantic Beach Wedding in the Dominican Republic

Thanks to Clary Pfeiffer Photography we’re going on an imaginary vacation. So pack some SPF because this tropical getaway is searing with stunning. Complete with a beautiful shoreside ceremony, we’re confident that you’re going to get completely swept away in the pretty. It’s the type of sandy toe celebration that you’ll want to dive right into, and thankfully you can do just that in THE VAULT!

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Eatery Outdoor Weddings

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Colorful + Romantic Curacao Engagement Session

From Clary Pfeiffer Photography… Nidia and Sam’s wedding day was one of the most memorable weddings I’ve photographed so I’m very excited to be sending this submission your way today. The couple are both from the Dominican so when deciding where to have their celebration it was easy for them to come up with a location. The beauty of photographing a destination wedding is you get to meet a couples closest love ones and hear personal stories about the couple. Nidia and Sam truly are special people!! Their wedding was gorgeous with an ocean view and when the sun set and the dancing started it was so much fun! They had sparklers for the first dance and then surprised all their guest with “Crazy Hour” where amazing dancers came out to dance with everyone.

From The Bride…Our story began seven years ago; eyes meeting across the dance floor, bodies moving to the latest bachatas, and lips promising to meet again despite an undeniable tipsiness. History repeated itself on June 13, 2015 as Samuel and I stepped onto the dance floor, but this time for our wedding.

Samuel and I both love the sea, our culture, and our beach vacations, so it was only logical that we would choose Punta Cana as our wedding destination. We are both from the Dominican Republic, so having our wedding there was more than ideal.

We wanted a wedding that brought together little pieces of what makes us us: rustic, serene, glam, romantic, with touches of dominican culture. We did a lot of research and found all of these elements at the gorgeous Huracan Cafe.

Huracan Cafe has a beach hut vibe enhanced by its white sands, mint blue waters, and the magic touch of wedding planners Mayte and Nati. These elements moved in perfect harmony during our wedding ceremony. The wedding party’s mint blue and natural linen ensemble were an extension of the beautiful beach backdrop. The touches of green decorating the beach chairs and ceremony gazebo complemented the surrounding palm trees. The gold details on the cocktail lounge and reception area were a compliment to the beautiful golden light seeping through the palm trees. Lastly, the crystal chandelier and splashes of pink softened the surroundings to balance the romantic with the serene.

We were mesmerized by the beauty of it all and before we knew it we were standing on the dance floor, ready for our first dance. We wanted to bring in cultural elements to the celebration, so we chose a song from bachata singer Juan Luis Guerra titled “Mi Bendicion”, “My Blessing”. We followed the dances with “La Hora Loca” or “Crazy Hour”, bringing everyone to their feet with folkloric beats and dance moves. We danced, we moved, we drank. By the end of the night, we once again made tipsy promises, remembering seven years of history as we moved to the beat of our favorite bachata songs.

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Within seconds of spotting Curacao, the array of colors transport you, causing you to forget you’re in the Caribbean and instead feel as if you’re in the quaint, cozy Netherlands. It’s a photographer’s paradise and it’s where Jessica Maida snapped these cuties. With the Bride-to-be a wedding planning pro herself, her chic style and her dapper man’s dance skills, postcard-worthy pics abound right this way!

From Jessica Maida… This stylized engagement session is a mix of lifestyle, street photography and real life couple Tiffany and Dupal featuring their island life and love in Curacao just off the coast of Venezuela. It was not hard to find the details in their surroundings and let the colors and rich architecture speak for Curacao and the lively culture found there. With a beautiful mix of Dutch, Caribbean and Indian cultures, these two celebrate not only life and their differences but in the love story that brings them together. I connected with them on a recent trip to the island as Tiffany is the owner of her blossoming wedding planning business Ingenia Event Planning and together we enjoyed our walks through the districts of Petermaii, Scharloo, Otrabanda, Punda within the city of Willemstad.

From the Bride-to-be… We first met each other during a seminar about water pollution in the fall of 2013. We both sat on the last row and couldn’t help but notice each other and chatted during the down time. It was hard to ignore the number of things and interests we shared! Later that year we went out for drinks a few times and talked for hours. We remained friends for all that period till around February of 2014 when we lost contact. We met each other again in the summer of 2014 when we started talking as if we never lost contact. During that time we went on a date. And then another…and another! We grew together effortless. Even with the eventual need to leave the beautiful Island of Curacao for a few months, we never hesitated to stay together. When I was away we talked every single day through all possible communication media. Due to the time difference, we made a commitment to text each other every night before bed to give each other a reason why we fell in love. The result – waking every morning with beautiful meaningful words in our minds and hearts. This is how we learned to define love and mutual understandings when it comes to obsessions of the heart, and it wasn’t long before this connection helped us fall more and more in love each day. After we were reunited we remembered what it felt like for one to be alone and promised to never be apart again! For us this kind of love was new. It was real and meaningful yet unexplored and fragile – very natural and non-pressured. It was strong enough to make each of us wonder if we had even experienced the feeling of love in life before each other. We are two of a kind dancing through life in each other’s arms and smiles in our hearts. Now that we’ve met, love and eternity have a different and deeper meaning. We had countless dates, shared many bottles of good wine and champagne, enjoyed more than a dozen full moons and falling stars, traveled together and even work together. Together we celebrate love each day!

Photography: Jessica Maida | Event Planning: Ingenia Event Planning | Venue: Curacao Winery | Wardrobe: H&M

Romantic + Relaxed Shipwreck-Themed Bahamas Destination Wedding

The word “shipwreck” doesn’t exactly evoke class, elegance and beauty. But this shipwrecked-themed affair is all that and so much more. Painted in shades of blush, seafoam and gold, this fête came to life with a goddess-esque Amanda Wakeley gown, chic, beachy touches from Boy Meets Girl Weddings, and gorgeous photography from Cody Hunter Photography. Escape to the Bahamas in The Vault.

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Romantic St. John Destination Wedding

From The Bride… Joey and I are very easy going and we definitely wanted our wedding to represent that. We decided on the Bahamas because it is one of our favorite places to visit. For our wedding we definitely want to use a lot of natural elements that are indigenous to Eleuthera. Our wedding coordinator had suggested a ‘shipwrecked’ theme, which was the perfect description of what we had in mind. We used shells, colored glass bottles, corals, seafans, grape wood, and protea to carry out that theme.

From Cody Hunter Photography…Amanda and Joey’s “vacation spot” has been The Cove in Eleuthera – so having their destination wedding there was the perfect fit for the couple. They have shared countless memories there and couldn’t wait to share the beauty of the island with around 45 of their closest family and friends for their “I Dos” The whole weekend was a reflection of the couple – relaxed and fun with a dose of celebration – including a traditional Junkanoo* to wrap up their reception.

To continue with their “shipwrecked” theme – they wrote one another messages in a bottle – and sealed them up and tossed them over a cliff during their ceremony as a more unique “unity” ceremony.

*A Junkanoo is a traditional Bahamian experience at a celebration with characters in traditional costumes and dancing to drums, bells, and whistles – so the couple knew that they had to include it to end their reception!

After putting planning on hold due to a deployment to Afghanistan, this beautiful couple picked back up where they left off, with the help of Mary Bartolucci of Island Style Weddings, and created a celebration truly fitting of their personalities and wedding wishes. Lindsay Vann captured both the sparkling sands and smiles and this gallery is bound to be an unburied treasure for years to come.

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Turks & Caicos Resort Destination Wedding

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Eatery Park

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Romantic

From the Bride… Getting to our wedding day was quite a journey for us. My husband proposed to me on Memorial Day 2013 on Catalina Island. We then started the process of deciding a wedding location. We threw out many ideas but kept coming back to St John, a place he and I both fell in love with after traveling there twice together. When the location was set, we then selected Mary and her team at Island Style Weddings to assist us with the planning and coordination. We were able to set a date the following May and started to sort through some of the details. During the fall of 2013, right before we gave the green light to print our save the dates, my husband (a pilot in the Marine Corps) found out he would be leaving at the beginning of the year for a deployment to Afghanistan which could be up to a year duration. Mary was extremely understanding when I contacted her to let her know what was going on and told me to give her a call when we were ready to pick back up on the planning. Thankfully, Ben did not have to be in Afghanistan for the full year and we were able to set a new date in February 2015. Though the journey to get to our wedding was longer than we initially had planned, having our friends and family there with us to experience the magic of St John was more fun than we could have dreamed it could be. Choosing to have a destination wedding allowed us to have more time and make more memories with our guests. Island Style Weddings helped to arrange a Welcome Party, a day sail to the British Virgin Island and a beach BBQ on the days leading up to the wedding. From saying our vows overlooking the beautiful blue waters to dancing the night away with our friends, the wedding is a day we will both remember forever. As I look back now, the only word I can think to describe our wedding is “perfect” and the wait was sure worth it.

From Island Style Weddings… As the daughter of a former Marine Captain, this couple holds a special place in my heart. Ben, a fighter pilot in the US Marine Corps was called for deployment to Afghanistan nine months prior to their wedding date. Everything went on hold as we all prayed for Ben’s safe return. I was delighted when Jen called to tell us he was coming home and we set a new wedding date.

Jen was a dream bride to work with. Easy going, with a strong sense of style, Jen made wedding planning easy. She had a clear vision of what she wanted and we helped her make her vision a reality. I am honored to have been part of their wedding celebration and thank both of them for the sacrifices they have made for our country.

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Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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If you’ve ever dreamed about tying the knot on a secluded tropical island, then this Turks & Caicos destination wedding will have you booking your ticket asap! It’s full of romantic details like a windswept beach ceremony, message in bottle escort cards and lace parasols, and thanks to Sarah Joelle Photography you can take a dip in the full gallery right here!

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Colorful & Cultural Wedding at Secrets St. James Montego Bay Resort

From Sarah Joelle Photography… For New Yorkers, John and Dina, life is all about the experiences, and they wanted their wedding day to be one of them. They had visited the Turks & Caicos Islands together and thought that it would be the perfect place for their destination wedding experience. Dina imagined a soft, romantic wedding inspired by the soft, pink colors of the sunsets in Turks & Caicos. She also wanted it to capture their playful personalities, and happiness together.

Turks and Caicos is a stunning location for a destination wedding. John and Dina chose the luxurious Seven Stars Resort in Grace Bay, Providenciales for their ceremony and reception. Providenciales is an island in the northwest part of the Turks and Caicos Islands. “Provo” as it is commonly called is know for the miles of pristine, white sand beaches, sparkling turquoise waters, and upscale resorts.

It was an intimate wedding with about 30 guests. The ceremony was on the beach right before sunset and then the guests moved to the West Deck overlooking the ocean for dinner and dancing as the sky turned the prettiest shades.

The wedding coordinator, Laura Staniforth, was absolutely amazing and kept the day running smoothly. It is so important to have a great planner that is local to help when planning a destination wedding where you can’t be there to make sure that everything gets taken care of!

The proposal story from the Groom… It happened in Shanghai, China, at a hotel rooftop overlooking the scenic and historic Bund. Having carried the ring inside a napkin in his pocket for the better part of 12 days as they traveled through Seoul and finally to Shanghai, it was finally time to “pop the question”.

They were alone in a small chandelier-lit room within a monolithic stone spire set atop the roof of the Three On The Bund Hotel. She looked radiant as they looked out the balcony over the Huangpu River staring across to the new developments in Pudong. They sat back down to finish their desserts. He rested his arms on the small cloth-covered wooden table, looked at her, and asked “Are you going to finish your cake? Because if you don’t I will eat it for you.” She declined, it was a really good piece of molten chocolate cake. Then, he inched his chair closer to her, a light sweat breaking out over his brow as he tried to muster the courage to ask again, this time a much more serious question.

He got down on one knee. “Will you marry me?” “Will you grow old with me?” He may have said a few other things but it was drowned out by a sea of emotions. A glass was knocked over. Her napkin dropped, the molten cake a distant memory. Tears welled up in her eyes as she covered her face with her hands….

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Pronovias

ATELIER PRONOVIAS

PRONOVIAS

Dancing Lights, Cruise Collection

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Ivanka Trump

Empire

Metropolis Sol & Metropolis Lune

Liberté Collection

Tassel Moderne

Les Petites

Montmartre

Patras

Mixed Cut

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It’s a fact that each and every wedding gives me a daily pinch-me-please moment. And today that moment was made possible all thanks to this Secrets St. James Montego Bay Resort celebration captured by Natalie Franke. It’s so alluring it has officially left me in a tasteful trance of paradise. It’s the type of gallery that is tropical with a traditional twist and we’re loving every minute.

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Beach Weddings

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Romantic + Tropical Dominican Republic Wedding

From Natalie Franke… After falling in love with these two at their Baltimore Engagement Session, I knew that their American-Indian Fusion Wedding was going to take my breath away! What I didn’t expect, was to be seated at Sarah’s parents table for dinner… which lead to near teary-eyed moment for this veteran photographer. Oh friends, I truly couldn’t believe it! Such an unexpected honor!

There were so many moments of this special day that took my breath away… from the first moment Sarah put on her wedding gown to the beachside ceremony where Mohit saw his bride for the first time, all the way through her surprise wardrobe change during the reception – Everything about this wedding was perfect! There were tears and laughter… And I truly cannot imagine a more perfect setting for their special day!

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Wedding Dresses

Nicole Miller

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

Fall 2015

SPRING 2016

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To say that this next lovefest from Shoebox Photography is perfect in every. single. way. would be an understatement. A tropical paradise complete with almond trees and an exquisite villa, it’s a daydream come to life. From the Bride’s beautiful lace gown, to the pretty pink accents, every detail is one to cherish.

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Spring Weddings

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Villa

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Romantic Destination Wedding at Viceroy Anguilla

From the beautiful Bride… When my husband proposed to me, besides being completed shocked and crying hysterically, the first thought I had was the two of us kissing under the trees. Robin is from Denver, Colorado and I am from the Turks and Caicos Islands. Two places known for being beautiful wedding destinations but this did not help us when picking where to have our special day. We wanted somewhere different for all of our friends and family. We wanted somewhere they could all come together, have an adventure, and make great memories. We found it when we traveled to Punta Cana.

When we first walked into Villa Las Arenas I was blown away by the beauty of this home. The courtyard was lined with Dominican almond trees and had Chicago brick leading up to this archway that welcomes you to the exquisite villa. Besides the obvious Caribbean and English influence (which I adored!) we also fell in love with the people there. Everyone at Villa Las Arenas was so welcoming we felt like family. I couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else!

We returned a few months later to say our vows under the almond trees this time surrounded by all of our dearest friends and loved ones. Robin has a very big family from Colorado and mine is a small English family but it was important to us both to have everyone together as one family. Robin had two of his brothers in the wedding: Sean, as his best man and Andy as his groomsmen. I had both of my sisters in the wedding: Courtney (Coo) as my maid of honor and Laura (Loo) as my matron of honor. My beautiful and scrumptious niece Liv Marloe was my flower girl and undoubtedly stole the show! My mother, Gillian and Robin’s father, Rick gave speeches during our ceremony and my dad, Ian walked me down the aisle. The morning of the wedding I gave each member of our wedding party a small gift to remember the day and to say thank you for being the most important people in our lives. For Robin and I family is everything and we wanted to give everyone a little gift to show how much we love them.

For my husband I had a few special surprises. The first was my wedding gift to him a new watch to wear on the day. The second was a pocket watch with an engraving of the poem we had in our ceremony by Tyler Knott Gregson and a picture of his mother in side to wear close to his heart. The third was when he walked down the aisle! When Robin walked down the aisle the DJ played Otis Redding – Love Man!! Its one of my favorite songs and I think it describes him perfectly! I didn’t get to see the expression on his face for any of these surprises but I think Melinda and Rob (Photographers) and Diego and Juan (Videographers) captured it perfectly!

The day went perfectly. Our florist Celia made the whole space feel like a dream. The archway was covered in white peonies, roses and garlands of eucalyptus. Our florist also made a small baby’s breath crown for my niece to wear. Liv decided she didn’t want to wear it so later in the night my sisters put the crown on me which was a really fun and random addition to the night. Our planner really captured everything we asked for and put up with a thousand emails from me daily! I wanted blush and neutral tones for our wedding party with romantic florals and a lot of greenery. Robin wanted something more formal and traditional which I think we were able to do too. Music played all day long a mix of reggae, romantic, and oldies. Even our food was out of this world! Chef Pitiri really went all out from the hors d’oeuvres to the dinner, to the midnight empanadas (a secret family recipe).

Our venue was amazing and all of the staff there were so helpful especially Paola, the concierge. I would recommend our villa to anyone for a wedding or a family vacation. In fact, my family wants to go back every year! I am a crafter by heart but my family insisted that I do not attempt to DIY my own wedding. Oh ye of little faith! Instead I took it upon myself to do all the stationary and the playlists for the whole day. We bought a beautiful design for our invitations and I duplicated those throughout the wedding. The welcome sign at the entrance of the villa and the smaller frames with our favorite song lyrics really helped to make it feel more like us. One of my favorite things was to put “You look wonderful tonight” in the ladies bathroom. Eric Clapton’s song was played when I danced with my dad and I was hoping it would make all the ladies feel great because honestly they all looked amazing!

Its true what they say about your ceremony going in the blink of an eye! I do not remember what I said or what happened the only thing I recall with clarity is my husband vowing to always protect me. I have never been more in love with him in that moment. It felt as though it was just the two of us under the trees. I have been told there was a lot of laughter and a lot of happy tears. My husband likes to describe our love as a special love and I think that’s what everyone felt that day. All we wanted for our day was great tunes and amazing food, to be surrounded by nature, to have our friends and family around us and more than anything, each other. I think we got it and then some. We have been friends for a decade and have been in love for 7 of those years. Our wedding was just another wonderful day in my life with Robin.

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When a wedding planning pro herself says “I do” we get extra excited with all the goodies coming our way! The owner of DM Events Planning and Design created her own wedding wonderland with the help of a talented team including Face Time Beauty Concierge, Laura Hooper Calligraphy and Paperfinger, and not one, but two fabulous photogs snapping away. Allan Zepeda and Mel Barlow & Co. captured every picture perfect moment, leaving us in absolute awe of this Bride and her beautiful bash.

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Fall Weddings

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Classic Weddings Romantic

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From the Bride… As a wedding planner and designer, I’ve witnessed countless brides walk down the aisle so I figured when it was my turn, I would be cool, calm and collected. Needless to say, I wasn’t any of those. I think because I have watched “the walk” so many times, I fully understand how important it is. When it was my turn, I was a complete mess! A well put together mess, of course, but a mess nonetheless! All the photos of me walking down the aisle are proof that even a seasoned wedding planner can fall apart on her wedding day.

While planning my big day, the question I was asked the most was, “What does it feel like to plan your own wedding?” Simply put, it feels overwhelming in the best way possible! Cliff and I knew right away that we wanted to have a destination wedding. The venue selection process can be a taunting task but with one sole contender on the list it was pretty easy: Viceroy Anguilla, our first vacation together and our go-to island getaway. There was a major problem, the only date that worked also happened to be Cliff’s birthday. He didn’t think twice and generously agreed to forgo his birthday to let me steal the spotlight ;) I, in turn, surprised him with a Clemson University-inspired birthday cake (his alma mater and obsession) in lieu of a wedding cake.

The wedding weekend kicked off with a Thursday evening cocktail party (hosted by our dear friend and officiant!) followed by a Friday night welcome dinner at our favorite island restaurant, Veya. A destination wedding on an island is not complete without a boat outing, so Saturday we took everyone to Prickly Pear Island during the day making it back to Anguilla in time for everyone to get their beauty rest for the big day on Sunday.

I always tell my clients that photography is the one item you don’t want to skimp on. Knowing this made it even more difficult to choose between my two favorite photographers: Mel Barlow and Allan Zepeda, who also happen to be two of our dearest friends. We, of course, wanted them to attend as guests but selfishly also wanted them to capture our big day, too. What is a bride to do? Beg and plead? Well, that’s exactly what I did and it worked! They nobly agreed to be there as part-time photographers and part-time guests. I will be forever grateful to them for capturing all the moments of the weekend, and sharing the priceless moments with us “behind the scenes” on the wedding day.

When it came to the design, I have to admit, I was in heaven! After all the years I’ve spent creating designs for clients, it was finally my turn to let loose and design for myself. I quickly turned to Paperfinger to help me coordinate all of the paper elements as well as the wedding day goodies. I wanted the invitation to feel warm and timeless, so the letterpress was done in soft shades of grey and blush. I’m also a lover of all things watercolor so we incorporated soft tones of pink watercoloring on the RSVP. I topped off the invite with Silk and Willow hand dyed silk ribbon. Reception goodies also included simple white linen napkins with watercolor-inspired hand-written guest names, driftwood grey and white acrylic signage, and nautical Laura Hooper Calligraphy “our adventure begins” coasters. Then came the flowers! I spend an unhealthy amount of time obsessing over flowers so I knew they had to be perfect, which is not always an easy task when importing to an island. All of the flowers came from St. Martin and they were gorgeous! I designed a lush runner of greenery down the tables featuring oversized garden roses and candlelight. Large driftwood pieces adorned the room with matching runners woven through. The room was aglow and I was ecstatic to see my vision come to life!

After all the hours spent on planning and designing, my absolute favorite moment was when my new husband gave his speech. I’ve heard my fair share of speeches and I may be partial to his, but I must say it was perfection and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world! The night ended with a candlelit serenade from our friends and family to our favorite song. The entire weekend was filled with so much love and happiness that at many times I thought my heart may explode!

Rustic Destination Wedding at Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana

In true Thanksgiving fashion, this destination holiday wedding was all about friends and family. From the invitations designed by a friend and hand-sewn accents from the Bride’s mother, to the photography from friend, Erin Davenport, the Bride and Groom celebrated starting off their marriage surrounded by the love of those closest to them. See how it all came together in this gorgeous gallery!

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Fall Weddings

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Beach Weddings

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Rustic

From the Bride… Drew and I were introduced by friends at a University of Alabama football game and became engaged in December 2011 after both moving to Colorado. Being from Alabama but living in Colorado for the past few years, the idea of planning a wedding back home in Alabama was overwhelming. We did not want our guests to travel to Colorado for just a short weekend. This led us to the idea of a destination wedding. A week of relaxing and vacationing with our close friends and family sounded like a fantastic idea. In addition, Drew’s and my family had never met. So we chose Thanksgiving week to spend together as new, larger family.

Our only regret with the destination wedding was that we knew not all of those important to us would be able to travel. It was indeed a smaller, more intimate wedding. The wedding was planned almost entirely by email with the resort wedding coordinator. She was incredibly patient with my million questions. In many ways, our wedding was truly a friends and family affair. A friend designed our wedding invitations. Another friend was our wedding photographer and resident Colorado advisor for dress shopping and all things wedding related. My mom embroidered and sewed the table runners, chair signs, banners and table numbers. Drew’s mom and sister brought other fun, personal touches for the table settings. Even our friends who arranged our introduction were able to attend, and his wife applied my makeup.

I had always wanted to get married on a beach but wanted to bring a rustic, Southern flare to our beach wedding. We were able to do this with lots of monogramming, lace, candles and embroidered burlap décor made by my mom. We chose lots of greens as accent colors to make it fun and festive.

The beach wedding ceremony was a little windy, but everything was perfect nonetheless. Because of the weather report, the reception was moved from poolside to a covered pool and beach-side open air restaurant, Castaways. It was meant to be and turned out beautifully! Good times, good food and a lot of dancing. With a great deal of help from friends and family, we successfully pulled off the rustic beach elegance I was going for!

Photography: Erin Davenport Photography | Floral Design: Now Larimar And Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana | Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia | Cake: Now Larimar And Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana | Ceremony Venue: Now Larimar And Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana | Reception Venue : Now Sapphire | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Catering: Now Larimar And Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana | Men's Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Bride's Hair: Now Sapphire | Bride's Sash and Jewelry: Something New Boutique | Cake Topper: Pink Pelican Designs | Thumbprint Tree: Heather Young, The Ink Lab

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Essense of Australia

EveryBody/EveryBride Fall 2017

Spring 2017

Fall 2017

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Tropical + Colorful Caribbean Wedding

Have you ever attended a wedding where every detail was full of beauty (we’re looking at you Jennie Fresa), sunshine, relaxation and happiness? Well, you’re about to. Because we’re transporting you to paradise planned in the hands of True Event with captures from Leila Brewster and Elysium Productions. Complete with lush Hana Floral Design blooms atop La Tavola linens and pretty Paper Moss goods, every seaside moment is waiting for you here!

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Spring Weddings

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Romantic St. John Destination Wedding

From True Event…Looking back on Lauren + Dan’s wedding we can actually feel the warmth and beauty of that day! Grand Isle Resort is one of those places that just takes you away to another place, where everything is so full of beauty, sunshine, relaxation and happiness. Definitely the perfect setting for a wedding, and destination for guests to stay traveling from afar. It is complete paradise! Leila Brewster Photography and Elysium Productions captured every island detail to perfection, and the sweet love between Lauren and Dan that beamed throughout the weekend. We had so much fun taking the natural details of island life and incorporating them into their wedding design. Bright lush florals from Hana Floral were the perfect touch, as well as metallic gold accents through out the wedding. The invitation suite and day of paper by Papermoss defined the coastal elegance that surrounded the day.

From Emily at Paper Moss…There’s not much else that inspires us more than a seaside affair. Lauren & Dan’s Grand Exuma wedding invite suite was sure to include both classical navy and a warm tropical hue. An added surprise were the monochromatic sea life & Bahamas map sketches found on the back of the cards. As a lover of both coral the color and sea life itself, we made sure their monogram included both. Congrats to the happy couple, it was a joy to work with you both!

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Elysium Productions

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Hana Floral Design

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The Annaberg Ruins might be one of the most unique ceremony sites I’ve come upon in a while, and also one of the most beautiful. Enchanting and romantic, they added a whole other amazing element to this island wedding, and Elisha Orin captured every stunning view and special moment between these newlyweds. See it all, from sunup to last kiss, right here.

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Jamaica Destination Wedding in an Ancient Aqueduct

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Eatery Outdoor Weddings

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Casual

From the Bride… We chose a destination wedding because we wished to be surrounded by natural beauty as we celebrated the past, present and future. What better place than St. John! We hired a fantastic wedding planner to help make our vision come alive, which helped us stay focused on soaking up the sunshine and the love from our family and friends. We wanted to plan fun, casual activities leading up to the big day in order for everyone to hang out because having our two families get to know one another really meant a lot to both of us. Our first time to the US Virgin Islands was 72 hours before we said “I do” and that aspect made each wedding event even more special and memorable. We finally got to see an island that we always hoped to visit and now can look forward to anniversary trips – a huge perk! We have bonded over shared travel experiences; the journey has shaped us as a couple. “We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.”

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Sarah Seven

Signature Bridal

Gold Label

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Adrianna Papell

Spring 2015

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Ready to get lost in a sea of pretty? Well, sit down, because thanks to Sunglow Photography there is so much Jamaica gorgeousness waiting for you below. With the stunning Hilton Rose Hall orchestrating an event that will make your jaw drop, this gallery will be sure to inspire your entire day.

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Fall Weddings

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From Sunglow Photography…Sandy and Ryan traveled to Montego Bay Jamaica for a tropical intimate wedding with close friends and family. From their visit the year prior Sandy was set on exchanging their vows under the 18th Century aqueduct ruins located on the Hilton Rose Hall property.

The wedding details were all handled by the staff at the Hilton Hotel — very appealing since planning a destination wedding in a third world country can be challenging.

Photography: Sunglow Photography | Floral Design: The Hilton at Rose Hall | Ceremony Venue: The Hilton at Rose Hall | Reception Venue: The Hilton at Rose Hall

Elegant Island Wedding

I’ve said it before, but I think it’s worth repeating: we love destination weddings. So when a stunning St. John, USVI affair comes our way from the uber-talented Mary Bartolucci of Island Style Weddings, you better believe we’re going to share that beauty faster than you can say “non-stop pampering.” Think a sophisticated color palette meets breathtaking views meets all kinds of pretty. See it all captured by Lindsay Vann right here, and soak in the gorgeous film from Nazareth Roads Productions below.

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Romantic Virgin Islands Destination Wedding

From the Bride… When we got engaged, we knew we wanted to have a destination wedding. We love to travel and one of our favorite places on earth is St. John, USVI. The pristine, white sandy beaches, and the natural beauty of the island was something that we wanted to share with our friends and family.

We hoped our guests would fall in love with this magical island as much as we have, so we planned a welcome party and day sail during our stay. To start the week of wedding festivities, we dined at Dr!nk overlooking the beach in Cruz Bay. The following day, we sailed to Jost Van Dyke on Kekoa, where we snorkeled and enjoyed the famous Painkiller drink at the Soggy Dollar Bar.

St. John is such a beautiful island with so many choices for a wedding venue, but Turtle Bay Point at Caneel Bay Resort was the perfect place to say ‘I do’. The grassy landscape overlooking the water is absolutely breathtaking. I could not have a dreamed of a more beautiful wedding! The memories we shared with our friends and family during that week is something that we will forever cherish.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Jenny Yoo

Spring 2014 Maternity

2016 Bridesmaid Collection

2016 Bridal Collection

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Fall 2016 Separates Collection

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Hayley Paige

Spring 2014

Fall 2013

Spring 2013

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

Spring 2016

Blush by Hayley Paige

Hayley Paige Occasions

Fall 2016

Spring 2017

Blush by Haley Paige

Spring 2018

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This here is an instance where I need to re-read the info to see if this was an editorial shoot or an actual wedding. The photos of the Bride and Groom in the water look like something out of a magazine and have me considering some epic post-receptions pics myself. Closer to Love Photography worked their magic behind the lens and Zomei Film Stories captured the romance of this breathtaking celebration.

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Elegant Puerto Rico Wedding at Dorado Beach Ritz Carlton Reserve

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Beach Weddings Eatery

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Romantic

From Closer to Love… There truly are no words to fully describe how beautiful the Virgin Islands are. Full of lush greenery and the most beautiful crystal clear turquoise water we’ve ever seen, it was like paradise on earth. Marci and David, along with their families became our very own family, and we built a lifetime of unforgettable memories. As photographers, we often times found ourselves speechless and in awe at all the amazingness that was before us. We had to come to grips that nothing could ever top this trip, and we just had to accept the reality that everything would be compared to the Virgin Islands – which would be a very tough location to follow! Marci and David’s St. John wedding was filled with detail and personal touches. They chose green as their main wedding color to honor David’s Irish background. To honor Marci’s Louisiana roots, the couple along with their guests had a traditional New Orleans Second Line, marching through the streets of St. John after their beautiful ceremony! We were truly honored to be part of it all and will forever treasure these memories (and more) in our hearts!

From the Bride… It wasn’t a difficult decision for us to choose the Virgin Islands as our wedding destination. It is after all where David and I met and fell in love ten years ago. We couldn’t wait to share our marriage with friends and family in such a magical place, and it was truly everything we dreamt of.

I was in shock when David got down on one knee in the middle of Rome, though I should’ve expected it, he’s such a romantic! I loved being engaged and tried to soak in every moment of the planning process. I’ve never been a “big wedding” bride, much to the dismay of my large southern family. However, my family didn’t mind the smaller wedding idea once they saw photos of our favorite islands.

The most important aspect of planning was ensuring all our wedding events were as personal and intimate as possible. From Australia to Germany, California to Rhode Island, our guests came from many places to celebrate, and we wanted them to feel at home. Our welcome party started off with a huge pot of my dad’s Louisiana crawfish étouffée, a sure hit amongst our southern and northern friends alike. We hosted beach parties, boating trips, and a sunset cruise after our rehearsal.

Since we were unable to visit our location prior to the wedding week, we took pleasure in the unknown and tried not to obsess over every detail. This worked to our advantaged as we were surprised and completely blown away with how perfect it all turned out. My mother’s cathedral length veil, a custom handkerchief made from my mother, grandmothers, and mother-in-law’s wedding dresses, and David’s grandfather’s tie pin set the tone for a ceremony filled with love and tradition. We chose green as our main wedding color to honor David’s Irish background. To honor my Louisiana roots, we had a traditional New Orleans Second Line through the streets of St. John after our ceremony.

Personalizing our wedding details was very special to me. I loved creating our invitations, party favors, and place cards. I took calligraphy and watercolor courses in order to prepare, and David and I stayed up late many nights hand embossing each invitation, water coloring our wedding map and menus, and putting together welcome bags. My most favorite detail was the stamps we used on our wedding envelopes. I found vintage stamps from every state we’ve lived. They were the first thing wedding guests saw when their invitation arrived and it showcased our love of our past and excitement for our future.

Our wedding could not have been more perfect. It was intimate, romantic, and relaxed, as well as hilarious and wild when we completed our night with an impromptu dance party with locals in the town square. The starlit boat ride home after our reception still gives me chills. David and I sat hand in hand as husband and wife, surrounded by our nearest and dearest in our favorite place on earth, on our now most favorite day.

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Watters

Willowby Fall 2014

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BHLDN

Bridal 2016

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I’m kind of a super fan of Abby Jiu. It never fails. the second she steps foot behind a camera magic ensues. Timelessly beautiful yet fresh all at the same time, her images tell the stunning story of this couples’ gorgeous destination wedding. Complete with an envy-worthy Oscar De La Renta gown, a first look in a pineapple field and too many perfect details to count, this gallery should not be missed.

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Beach Weddings

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Elegant Jamaican Destination Wedding

From The Bride…How did you decide on Puerto Rico? We visited Puerto Rico together for a close friend’s wedding in 2013 and fell in love with the island. We really enjoyed exploring San Juan and the beaches, and found everyone we met to be incredibly warm and friendly. Our guests were also traveling from all corners of the country (and world!) so we wanted to find a location that would be an easy trip and a fun little getaway for everyone.

How did you decide on the Dorado Beach Ritz Carlton Reserve? As soon as we stepped on to the property we absolutely fell in love with the venue. It felt secluded and private and had such a romantic vibe – we loved the drama of seeing the waves crashing on rocks from virtually every angle. The property is also a nature preserve, so the lush vegetation also made the otherwise modern resort feel rustic. As history nerds, we also loved that the property has such a rich history. It was bought my Laurence Rockefeller who preserved its lushness and enhanced the property. He opened it up to celebrities such as John F Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and Amelia Earhart.

What was the inspiration for your wedding decor? I was mostly inspired by the venue itself. The architecture is completely harmonious with its natural surroundings – the ocean, the beach and the plant life. I wanted the decor to feel similarly integrated and organic. Arquetipo helped us with our decor and blew us away, using lots of white orchids, willow vine and green dianthus, which almost looks like a sea creature itself! The lanterns and mercury glass helped to give everything a shimmery glow.

What is your favorite memory from the wedding day. My favorite moment from our wedding day (other than marrying Matt) was looking around the room at our reception and seeing the faces of so many people I love (who also happen to be fantastic dancers!). It was so special to have so many of our family and friends in one room having a blast together.

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Dessy

Bridesmaid 2014

Women's Tuxedo

Tuxedo

Fall 2014

Spring 2015

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The sparkling Caribbean ocean, this fabulous bouquet, and this absolutely lovely blushing Bride; I’m pretty sure this wedding right here is the definition of paradise. Natalie Franke and Krista Jones captured it all and the picture perfect weather added a silver lining to every moment between this sweet Bride and Groom. As I dream of a Jamaican vacation, this gallery is where my travel fantasies will begin.

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Dominican Republic Post-Wedding Beach Bonfire

From Natalie Franke… There aren’t words in the English language that could adequately describe how incredible Hannah and Mark’s wedding truly was! When we arrived at the Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay, I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this tropical coastline and the rich history that the resort has developed in Jamaica! Add in an exceptional couple like Hannah and Mark and I knew that I was in for the wedding of a lifetime!

From the beach ceremony to the portraits around the resort, I felt like I was constantly having to pick my jaw up off the floor sand! Everything was styled perfectly and Hannah was one of the most beautiful brides that I’ve ever seen! And not only is she gorgeous, but she has such a compassionate heart! When she found her dress at The Brides Project in Ann Arbor (a bridal boutique where all the proceeds go to the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor) she decided to become a volunteer bridal consultant and after working with the organization for a few months was hired to run it! She dedicates her time to helping brides find the perfect gown and raising proceeds for a good cause in the process.

Can’t you see why I fell in love with these two? Ah! Hannah and Mark are an incredible couple and this entire weekend was one for the record books!

How do you top off a destination wedding extravaganza from rehearsal dinner to ceremony to oceanside reception? A festive beach bonfire – that’s how. As a farewell for guests who traveled far and wide to celebrate, Michelle and Geoff along with Stefanie Miles planned a casual gathering on the sand complete with local cuisine, pretty Bows and Arrows blooms and fire dancers. See it all from the lens of Ryan Ray.

From Stefanie Miles… Many guests stayed at Flor De Cabrera during their time in Cabrera, and so we continued the celebration under the low palms on the secluded Flor De Cabrera beach the day after the wedding. In keeping with our goal of providing quality, memorable experiences for each of our 35 guests, this traditional Dominican fare dinner was made extra special with beautiful tables and florals set up under an intimate canopy of trees and strung lights, lounge areas that were laid out in the sand, fire dancers, and a sweet musical trio.

From The Bride…The day after our wedding we hosted a beach bonfire dinner that really was the perfect gesture of hospitality to end our destination wedding. It was wonderful to gather together to share a meal, exchange stories, and say our goodbyes. The entire weekend had been a series of unexpected, beautifully executed surprises from our team of vendors and this dinner was no exception. It left me feeling so content knowing that Geoff and I had successfully been able to use our wedding as an opportunity to serve, honor, and thank our guests for their love and support throughout our journeys to finding each other.

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Bows and Arrows

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Dominican Republic Destination Wedding Part I

After poring through their gorgeous rehearsal, I was kind of convinced it couldn’t get much better. But sure enough, cross the talents of Ryan Ray, Candlelight Films, Stefanie Miles, Bows and Arrows and Felicita Garcia, and you get a destination wedding that’s one for the books. Dressed in a palette of ivories, golds and creams set against the blue ocean waves this gallery is pure nuptial paradise and wedding day part two is just minutes away.

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Beach Weddings Outdoor Weddings Villa

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